Australia's new PM Rudd acts swiftly on climate

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Reuters

BRISBANE, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Australia's new prime minister, Kevin Rudd, made climate change his top priority on Sunday, seeking advice on ratifying the Kyoto pact and telling Indonesia he will go to December's UN climate summit in Bali.

Rudd, who swept aside 11 years of conservative rule by John Howard in Saturday elections, also spoke to U.S. President George W. Bush by phone, but would not say when he planned to start a promised withdrawal of 500 Australian combat troops from Iraq.

"I emphasised to President Bush the centrality of the U.S. alliance in our approach to foreign policy," Rudd said in his first media conference on Sunday as prime minister elect, adding he would visit Washington early next year.

Rudd, 50, presented himself to voters as a new-generation leader by promising to pull troops out of Iraq and ratify the Kyoto Protocol capping greenhouse gas emissions, further isolating Washington on both issues.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SYD311062.htm

[aquart]

1. Pay attention, American candidates and Congress.

This is what you do when you come to power on a mandate.

[Andrushka]

2. Very good

One promise that swung a lot of votes Labour's way. The environment was a huge, huge issue in the election, and ratifying Kyoto was something a majority wanted. Hope this is the start of Australia leading the way in tackling acute climate change. I am proud to be an Aussie when I read this news!

Had a run-in with a bloke at work (we are both Aussies) last week. He is conservative and was proclaiming that it would be devastating economically if Rudd's team was elected - the usual bullshit that was trotted out by the Murdoch-owned press et al over the last few weeks.

To which I quipped: "But to leave these people in would be devastating ecologically - and that trumps the economy. Can't have a strong economy if the place is unliveable, mate!"

He didn't speak to me for a few hours afterwards. :evilgrin:

[Joanne98]

6. He's an idiot. Alternative energy will be a boom for the economy!

Print out some charts on the solar energy sector in the market. First Solar CSUN and tell him to invest in that. Maybe after he's making some money on the stocks he'll shut up. All Republicans are selfish at heart.

[Islander Expat]

3. BRAVO, way to go!

Good news so far...

[xchrom]

4. ...

:applause:

[rodeodance]

5. he wants Aussie troops out----but "I emphasised to President Bush the centrality of the U.S. allianc

[liberalla]

7. woo hoo! well done!

One down, one to go!

[Judi Lynn]

8. God, this is such great news. It seemed John Howard would NEVER leave!

It's so important Rudd will move to cleanse Australia of the poisonous influence of the American predator class. God bless him.